Tropical storm Alex

Oil spill cleanup efforts may be hindered in the Gulf of Mexico due to approaching tropical storm Alex. Alex is the first named storm of the 2010 hurricane season. Alex is expected to enter the Gulf sometime early next week. Currently, it is predicted the storm will head toward Texas or Mexico.
Concerns are that rough waves and high winds will disperse oil in the Gulf, with surges carrying some of it inland. If the storm appears to take a path toward Louisiana, the Discoverer Enterprise will be disconnected from the well 114 hours prior to the time gale force winds are predicted to reach it. The Q4000 would be moved 56 hours before the storm, again if Alex takes that direction. Tropical storm Alex emerged early on the morning of June 26.

As of this morning, tropical storm Alex is about 220 miles southeast of Chetumal, Mexico. The storm is moving at 8 miles per hour in a northwesterly direction toward the Yucatan. Current winds are around 40 miles per hour. The NHC (National Hurricane Center) is predicting at this time that the storm will weaken, turn back into a tropical depression, cross the Yucatan Sunday and Monday, and restrengthen when it reaches the Gulf.